Composite vehicle body

Abstract

A vehicle body may have a skeleton formed by a plurality of overlapping layers bonded to each other. Each of the plurality of overlapping layers may be fabricated from a continuous fiber coated with a matrix material. A trajectory of the continuous fiber may be different between adjacent layers of the plurality of overlapping layers.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A vehicle body, comprising a skeleton formed by a plurality of overlapping layers bonded to each other, each of the plurality of overlapping layers being fabricated from a continuous fiber coated with a matrix material, wherein a trajectory of the continuous fiber is different between adjacent layers of the plurality of overlapping layers; further including a skin formed over the skeleton from a continuous fiber sheet coated with a matrix material, wherein the matrix material of the skin is different from the matrix material of the skeleton. 
     
     
       2. The vehicle body of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of overlapping layers includes:
 a first type of layer forming an open-center perimeter of a cross-section of the skeleton; and 
 a second type of layer forming a cross-section of the skeleton having a perimeter and cross-pieces between nodes in the perimeter. 
 
     
     
       3. The vehicle body of  claim 2 , wherein the first type of layer alternates with the second type of layer in the plurality of overlapping layers. 
     
     
       4. The vehicle body of  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of overlapping layers includes a set of the second type of layer that is repeated. 
     
     
       5. The vehicle body of  claim 4 , wherein the set includes three different patterns of the second type of layer. 
     
     
       6. The vehicle body of  claim 5 , wherein each of the three different patterns of the set includes segments of a perimeter of the cross-section of the skeleton, the segments from the three different patterns of the set together completing the perimeter. 
     
     
       7. The vehicle body of  claim 6 , wherein the segments each of the three different patterns are about ⅓ to ⅙ of a length of the cross-section. 
     
     
       8. The vehicle body of  claim 2 , wherein the cross-pieces forms an angle of about 25-65° relative to a support surface of the perimeter of the cross-section. 
     
     
       9. The vehicle body of  claim 8 , wherein the cross-pieces of the plurality of overlapping layers forms at least one complete “X” at a center of the cross-section of the skeleton. 
     
     
       10. The vehicle body of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of overlapping layers includes:
 an inner lap forming the skeleton; and 
 an outer lap forming the skin over the skeleton. 
 
     
     
       11. The vehicle body of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of overlapping layers is formed by a middle-out tool path of the continuous fiber. 
     
     
       12. A vehicle body, comprising a skeleton formed by a plurality of overlapping layers bonded to each other, each of the plurality of overlapping layers being fabricated from a continuous fiber coated with a matrix material, wherein a trajectory of the continuous fiber is different between adjacent layers of the plurality of overlapping layers;
 wherein the skeleton has a wing shape; and 
 wherein each of the plurality of overlapping layers forms a rib cross-section of the wing. 
 
     
     
       13. A vehicle body, comprising:
 a skeleton formed by a plurality of overlapping layers bonded to each other, each of the plurality of overlapping layers being fabricated from a continuous fiber coated with a matrix material; and 
 a skin formed over the skeleton from a continuous fiber sheet coated with a matrix material, 
 wherein the plurality of overlapping layers includes:
 a first type of layer forming an open-center perimeter of a cross-section of the skeleton; 
 a second type of layer forming a cross-section of the skeleton having a perimeter and cross-pieces between nodes in the perimeter; and 
 the first type of layer alternates with the second type of layer in the plurality of overlapping layers. 
 
 
     
     
       14. The vehicle body of  claim 13 , wherein the plurality of overlapping layers includes a set of the second type of layer that is repeated. 
     
     
       15. The vehicle body of  claim 14 , wherein the set includes three different patterns of the second type of layer. 
     
     
       16. The vehicle body of  claim 15 , wherein each of the three different patterns of the set includes segments of a perimeter of the cross-section of the skeleton, the segments from the three different patterns of the set together completing the perimeter. 
     
     
       17. The vehicle body of  claim 16 , wherein the cross-pieces of the plurality of overlapping layers forms at least one complete “X” at a center of the cross-section of the skeleton. 
     
     
       18. A vehicle body, comprising:
 an internal skeleton including a rib having opposing support surfaces, opposing braces, and cross-pieces connecting the opposing support surfaces and opposing braces, wherein the opposing support surfaces, opposing braces, and cross-pieces are formed by at least one continuous fiber using a middle-out tool path; and 
 a skin formed over the internal skeleton, the skin including:
 a matrix material; 
 a plurality of continuous fibers encased within the matrix material and arranged in layers generally parallel to a surface of the vehicle body.